Warner, Kaine, Colleagues Reintroduce Legislation to Establish Chesapeake National Recreation Area
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), alongside their Maryland colleagues Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-MD), renewed their efforts to create a unified Chesapeake National Recreation Area (CNRA). The CNRA Act proposes to unite a series of voluntarily contributed park areas and iconic Bay properties under the operation of the National Park Service (NPS) in order to spur more federal resources for environmental conservation, celebrate the Chesapeake’s diverse cultural and economic history, foster sustainable and equitable access to the Bay, and support responsible economic growth in the region.
The legislation was first introduced in July 2023. An amended version of this legislation was approved in a bipartisan, unanimous vote by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in November 2024, followed the next month by its unanimous passage on the Senate Floor. As there was insufficient time to advance the legislation in the House of Representatives before the end of the previous Congress, the senators have reintroduced the legislation to establish the CNRA in the 119th Congress.
“The Chesapeake Bay is at the cultural heart of so many Virginia communities, and serves as an economic driver for the Commonwealth as a whole. The creation of the Chesapeake National Recreation Area will not only help to preserve the rich history of the bay, but will ensure that it can be restored and protected for years to come,” said Warner.
“The Chesapeake Bay is deeply embedded in the history, ecology, and economy of Virginia and the entire region,” said Kaine. “Creating the Chesapeake National Recreation Area will help ensure that people can cherish the beauty of the Bay for generations to come.”
“The Chesapeake Bay is a natural and national treasure. Creating a unified CNRA will unlock more resources for its restoration, generate more prosperity for those whose livelihoods depend on it, and spotlight its unique story – encouraging greater public access to and enjoyment of everything the Bay has to offer. We built great momentum for the CNRA over the past two years, securing unanimous bipartisan approval by a key Committee and passing it on the Floor of the U.S. Senate. We will continue to build on this progress toward our goal of making our vision for the CNRA a reality, and bringing greater national recognition to the Bay we all cherish,” said Senator Van Hollen.
“It is past time that we officially establish the Chesapeake National Recreation Area. We know the Chesapeake Bay is the heart of Maryland but it is so much more — rich with history and wildlife, an economic driver for our state, and the home to our beloved blue crab. We must ensure the Chesapeake Bay receives the recognition and resources it needs so that we can enjoy this national treasure for years to come. Passing this legislation is a step forward,” said Senator Alsobrooks.
The CNRA will increase responsible public access to the Chesapeake Bay and strengthen the culture of stewardship across the region. Additionally, the CNRA will highlight the stories that often go untold – those of Indigenous peoples; free and enslaved Blacks; the role the Bay played in the earliest days of the Virginia and Maryland Colonies; its importance to the region’s economy; and the story of watermen and -women who are essential to the economic success and health of the Bay region.
The first historic sites of regional importance proposed to be in the CNRA network include the North Beach of Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia and the Burtis House, Whitehall, and Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse in Annapolis, Maryland. The CNRA will also utilize a collection of partnerships with states, localities, nonprofit organizations, and private entities to support public access to and restoration of nationally significant historic, cultural, or recreational Bay resources.
This designation will not impose any additional regulations on recreation, fishing, or other business activities in Chesapeake Bay waters, and the National Park Service’s authority will not supersede state authority on these matters.
Text of the legislation can be viewed here.
More details about this initiative can be viewed here.
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